July 3rd, 2015
A last minute run that was worth the effort
At 5:58pm last night we realized the time and made a live time decision to run to the top of Mount Phousi. It is the highest point in the city and is known for spectacular sunset views (when the sunset is spectacular of course). We climbed to the top when we were here before and while it was lovely, it was not an over the top sunset night. So we decided we should try again. The sunset was phenomenal the night prior but of course we were down by the night market and not on the top of Mount Phousi. Yes that is pronounced how you think.
It is 328 steps, about 1000 metres I believe, and offers stuning views of the town from all directions as well as the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Somehow we don’t think that it was as arduous a climb as three years ago, although the amount of sweat wouldn’t necessarily indicate this 😅😅
There are several temples on the way up to stop and admire AKA “catch your breath”
The Sky presunset
Then 20 minutes later….
The one thing about this little excursion is that it is heavily promoted on every travel forum, website, blog, book etc out there as THE thing to do in Luang Prabang, so this means there could be 100+ people vying for the perfect photo opp. Let me assure you no one is up there just to enjoy the view without the requisite camera, phone, selfie stick combo. And my fears come to life as we approach the stair landing and there are no less than 8 tour busses lining the side of the street. Quickly we apply our very much required bug spray, and then I’m saying to my sidekick….RUN…..we have to get there before the tour busses!! YA, I said that, probably loud enough for any English speaking person to hear. “They” are most assuredly stopping at every Buddha along the way to take pictures and admire the view, so we made good time passing folks on the left and got ourselves to the top in what I consider record time and secured an average vantage point. Now Troy had a good point, he said, no worries, a good percentage of these folks will leave as soon as the sun goes behind the mountain, they will think “hm, that’s it, ok, I’m out of here” BUT we happen to know that THAT is not the actual sunset. That occurs 20 minutes later after the sun has gone a good way behind the mountain. Sure enough, 6:45pm and people start to trickle out, we inch over, more trickle out, we move over a metre. HA! Probably 60% of the people are gone by 6:55. And there is a young English speaking couple behind us discussing what to do, should they go? I turn around and say “hang in there! It was at its peak at 7:15pm last night-wait it out” they say, “really-ok”, they wait 10 more minutes and then they leave. SIGH-Ok, that’s not what I was thinking, I meant really wait it out, bcz by 7:15 there was a lovely sunset but they were long gone by then, prolly mostly down the mountain. You know, I just can’t save everyone from themselves. When it was all over and we went down to the market ourselves in search of food, I saw them, haggling over scarves or something, and I almost stopped and shook them! But nah, I carried on, young people…..you just can’t tell them anything.
